Herdboy given reduced sentence for rape
Lebogang Mosikare | Thursday May 15, 2014 11:22
Herdboy given reduced sentence for rape
LEBOGANG MOSIKARE
Correspondent
FRANCISTOWN: A 21-year-old herdboy escaped more serious punishment on Tuesday when he got a four-year jail-term for rape. Chief Magistrate, Peggy Madandume said she did not give Serebotseng Gaobotswe the minimum 10-year sentence because he may have been influenced by youthful exuberance when he raped a 37-year-old woman near Sowa Pan in 2012.
'Gaobotswe gnawed the ears of the complainant while in the process of committing the offence. He even slapped the baby of the complainant who was sleeping in the same house with her mother when he committed the offence. It is an afterthought he planned to say that the sexual intercourse was consensual,' said Madandume.
In mitigation the accused told the court that he has a young child and a mother that will suffer if he is sent to prison. He said that his disabled girlfriend, who has one hand will greatly suffer because she depended on him.
The prosecutor, Inspector Kedibonye Kula countered strongly, arguing that there were no exceptional extenuating circumstances that may have caused the accused to commit the crime.
She said the offender should get the maximum sentence because he used violence when he committed the offence. Gaobotswe sighed with relief after he was told he will not serve the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.
Chief Magistrate, Peggy Madandume said she did not give Serebotseng Gaobotswe the minimum 10-year sentence because he may have been influenced by youthful exuberance when he raped a 37-year-old woman near Sowa Pan in 2012.'Gaobotswe gnawed the ears of the complainant while in the process of committing the offence.
He even slapped the baby of the complainant who was sleeping in the same house with her mother when he committed the offence. It is an afterthought he planned to say that the sexual intercourse was consensual,' said Madandume.
In mitigation the accused told the court that he has a young child and a mother that will suffer if he is sent to prison. He said that his disabled girlfriend, who has one hand will greatly suffer because she depended on him. The prosecutor, Inspector Kedibonye Kula countered strongly, arguing that there were no exceptional extenuating circumstances that may have caused the accused to commit the crime.
She said the offender should get the maximum sentence because he used violence when he committed the offence. Gaobotswe sighed with relief after he was told he will not serve the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.